A Relic of the Dark Ages
by Dimturiel
Summary: Fourth Age, Gondor. All enemies of free men are defeated and peace is the ruler of the realm. But evil still lurks and shadows creep even in the fairest city of Middle Earth.


The sun was shining, spreading a bright light over the land. I was sitting on the wall together with Eldarion, the king's son. We often sat like this, on the walls of Minas Tirith, talking together or just looking at the land, that, in that time was very bright and beautiful. The War of the Ring, the darkness and the chaos that was before king Elessar had returned, was just a story to me, a story that my parents used to tell. Since I was born I have witnessed only peace and I knew nothing of darkness and evil. Also, since I was a small child, I have been friends with Eldarion. I spent the best part of my life inside the walls of the protective Citadel, playing children's games with my cheerful playmate. And now, when we were older, when the games of children were becoming only pleasant memories, (though we played still sometimes, it was not with the same childish joy) our friendship had endured, and we spent most of the time together. The day I am to speak of, a day that I still look back upon, started like any other day, with us siting on the stones warm from the sun and talking of the Yestarë Feast that we had been to the night before.

"The food was very good", I was saying. "And the dance, too. And it had been such a clear night."

"So it was", said Eldarion. "I have never seen such a bright night before. And the stars were spreading such a gentle light."

"It was like being in one of those stories that we used to hear", I said. "With Elves and bright stars and wholesome things. Do you know what I thought of last night?"

"No", answered Eldarion. "Of what?"

"Of how glad I was to be born now", I said. "Meaning, think of my parents, their childhood had been darkened by the shadow from Mordor and they used to live in constant fear. My father was forced to go to war when he was only twelve. How glad I am those days are passed!"

"We are indeed fortunate. But that reminds me", Eldarion said. "My father would like to teach you some things."

"What sort?" I asked.

"How to wield a sword, how to ride, such things that wars are made of. He tells you to be at the Citadel tomorrow at noon. He will wait for you."

"But why?" I asked. "I am a girl. Why should I learn of such things?"

"Do not ask me, I do not know", answered Eldarion. "But you must go there and tell no one where you are going and for what purpose."

The next day at noon, I left my house in silence and made my way to the Citadel. I was walking the familiar path feeling wonder mingled with apprehension. I could not stop asking myself why the king has chosen to show such an interest in me, so as to teach me things that a girl did not have to know, especially in times of peace. Aragorn had been waiting for me and when he saw me coming, he said:

"Here you are at last. Did Eldarion tell you why I called you?"

"He said that you wanted to teach me the ways of battle that have been previously unknown to women of my land."

"And so I do", said Aragorn. "I want to teach you how to use a sword, how to ride a horse, how to find your way into a forest and other things like these. I have brought a sword that you can use and we will start the lessons today."

"But I do not understand", I said.

"After I have taught you all that you need to know you will understand. Pay attention, because I want you to learn everything well and as quickly as possible. Also you have to be careful to whom you speak of what you will be learning here."

"But why me?" I could not but ask again.

"Indeed", said Aragorn on a strange tone. "Why you? The things that I want to teach you have been my life once. A bitter life I thought it to be, though I took it upon me willingly. Yet know in times of peace I miss them. I think that these skills that were once acquired in need, could now be practiced for sport, as a friendly competition where anyone could do them. I have chosen you because you are my son's friend, and because I know you well. But it is my wish that what I teach you remains between us. Why? Because you are a girl, and even in times of war women do not fight, at least not in Gondor. And people would find it odd that I'm teaching you these things and some might even want you to stop training. Did you understand me?"

"Yes", I answered. "My lord, could I bring my dog next time at training? I did not think it right to bring him here today, but I love him for he is very loyal to me and I think he misses me while I am away."

"You can bring him", said Aragorn. "And after you have mastered the sword I will take you to the forest and I will teach you how to hide your tracks so well that even your dog, loyal as he is to you, will find it hard to find you. And now I think we can begin."

And so I started training. At first it seemed difficult, because the sword was very heavy, and I could not use it as quickly as Aragorn wanted me to. Also, I got tired easily and then I would just let the sword fall from my hands. But Aragorn was very strict. He did not let me rest or at least, I thought, not long enough. And he kept telling me that in a real battle the enemy would surely be very pleased if I was tired. I felt so weary sometimes that I wanted to tell him that I was never going to be in a battle, but still I had enough wit to know that I should not speak like that, especially not to my king.

After a while, mostly because of my skillful and persistent teacher, I began doing better and better and finally Aragorn declared himself pleased. After I knew how to use the sword, Aragorn took me to the forest to teach me how to find my way there, how to follow a trail that led to something he had hidden and how to hide so well that no one could find me, no matter how long one looked for me. I would say nothing about my mistakes, about how many times I lost myself completely in the forest, about how hard it was for me to follow a trail and about how I could not understand at first Aragorn's instructions to hide well enough. But I really wanted to learn these things and I did not want to upset Aragorn, who was trying his best to make me understand, so I was working very hard. So, after some time I could easily do all the things that Aragorn wanted me to. Then I was taught how to use the bow and the arrow, which had been the worst part of my training, and it took the longest time. There were moments when I said there was no use continuing, that it was clear that I could not do it, and that we should stop but Aragorn would not listen.

"Either you learn how to use the arrows, or else the rest of your training becomes useless."

Through all this period, Aragorn had been very patient but very resolute. I have to admit that I would not have succeeded if it had not been the great affection I bore my king and for my great desire to please him.

After the ordeal with the arrows was over, I was taught how to ride a horse. While we were resting, Aragorn used to tell me about the time when he was not yet king and when Sauron ruled in Mordor and I could not help but marvel at his deeds and my admiration for him, a feeling that I think all have for their king, grew. During this time I have learned a lot of things and the most important, I thought, was that indeed the world had been once dark, but now that time was gone and all the evil shadows had faded, never to return.

One day, as I was returning from my training, I met two of my friends, Aniriel and Silmarien, both of them girls of my age.

"Greetings!" shouted Silmarien. "We are glad to see you. Where have you been? People have noticed that you spend so little time with your friends and some have evil thoughts."

"No one has evil thoughts", I said. "The realm of Sauron had ended and so had everything that was evil."

"We knew you would say that", said Aniriel. "After all, you think that everybody is generous and kind, but we know better. Do you know what it is being said about you? Some people with foul hearts dare to say that the king's son desires to wed you and that you are so proud that you care no more about your friends and your family."

"But that is not true", I said. "And after all, I have not seen Eldarion that much lately. I am going to tell you where I have been, but you have to promise that this will remain between us."

"After they had assured me that they would rather die than betray me, I told them everything that I had promised to someone else would remain a secret. After telling them, Aniriel looked at Silmarien with a strange gaze, which I caught and asked:

"What is it? What are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing, of course", said Aniriel. 'We are just very proud and very happy for you. But now we have to go. Farewell."

The next day, when I woke up, I heard raised voices outside my room. Two of them I recognized as my parents', but there were other voices which I had never heard before in my house. I also sensed a note of panic in my parents' voices, and that made me curious. I pressed my ear against the door and listened closely.

"What are we", my father said angrily, "Are we descendants of Numenor or Worshippers of the Dark Powers?"

"Our race has been both. A thousand years ago, when Middle Earth was in shadow, it would have been much worse."

I got up, dressed quickly and came out of my room. I saw that my parents were talking with two men I had never seen before.

"But why does it have to happen exactly today?" my mother asked.

"We have already told you, lady. We do not want to delay any more. Now will you not wake your daughter?"

"I am already awake", I said then, entering the room. "What do you want from me?"

"Once in a thousand years, there is a sacrifice held. This time you had been chosen. We are really sorry for your parents' grief, but it is the ancient tradition that dictates us, not our will. Now I am afraid that we have to bind your hands and then you will come with us."

I could not believe what I had just heard. Did that mean that my life was going to end that morning? Why had I been chosen? And why now, when life seemed so wonderful? Could it be that men are never content with a life that is too wonderful?

I felt fear and despair creeping over me as I let the two men bind my hands and lead me out of the house. I saw that many people were gathered outside, but that meant nothing to me. I was walking without knowing what I was doing, and I was waiting for something to happen. I was expecting someone to say that nothing of this was real, that it was an evil dream that morning light would dispel. When I reached the place where I was to be sacrificed, I saw that Aragorn was there, too. I tried to catch his eye, to assure myself that nothing bad was going to happen. I started to think that maybe this was all part of my training, but seeing the expression on his face and how he was avoiding my gaze, I realized that I was indeed going to die that day. I knew that I could hope for nothing, and so I closed my eyes, waiting for it to be over. Suddenly I heard Aragorn's voice say:

"Wait! Let me talk to her."

I opened my eyes and saw him standing in front of me, but his look did not encourage me at all.

"If you had kept your promise, and told no one what should have remained between us", he said to me, "then you would have lived long enough."

I felt horrified hearing his words. So all this had been my fault?

"My lord" I said, "I did not know that what I had done deserved such a punishment. I did not know. Forgive me!"

"I meant to say that you have lived long enough for me to teach you how to escape now", said Aragorn.

"But how could you know that I was to be chosen?" I asked.

"Do you not understand it now?" said Aragorn. "You were meant to be sacrificed from the day you were born. That is why I was training you. Of course I thought that I had enough time to teach you everything. But I could not know that you could break your promise. If I had known, I would have thought of something else."

Hearing Aragorn I said to myself that I might have known that something was going to happen to me. I remembered his expression of worry mingled with pity that he had when I was doing bad during my training and what he told me at our first meeting: "Indeed, why you?"

Knowing that this had been my fault, and that I could have avoided it, made me feel even more horrified. I felt tears in my eyes and made no effort to hold them back.

"Please, my lord," I kept saying, "please do something, please help me!"

Aragorn shook his head to show me that there was nothing which he could do.

"Well, farewell then", I said.

"My lord", said a man, "I have an arrow ready. If you have finished talking to her, then please move aside."

Aragorn nodded and stepped aside, now avoiding my gaze. I too could not bear looking at him anymore and I closed my eyes, knowing there was nothing I could do. Soon I heard the arrow being released. To my astonishment, I heard it pass me. What were they trying to do? Were they trying to torture me by making me think that after all it was not going to happen and then to kill me? I opened my eyes and saw that the others were as astonished as I was.

"I cannot believe it", said the man who had come to my house to take me. "They said that you were extremely skilled with arrows."

"It has nothing to do with my skill", said the archer. "I felt my hand being moved just as I was releasing the arrow. This has to be a sign. Maybe it is not right what we are doing. I understood that this sacrifice had to be held next year. Maybe we should not do it earlier."

"We have all reasons to do it earlier. But maybe you are right."

"Maybe it should not be done at all."

They all turned to look at Aragorn.

"When we returned victorious from the East, I felt sure the shadow has departed forever. I did not expect to see it rise again in the White City. But lo! It came again, from where I know not and it has taken hold of your hearts. You must not let it blind you and drive you to evil deeds that orcs would be proud of. This sacrifice, a relic of the Dark Ages, shall not take place."

The men considered Aragorn's words, looked at one another, and said:

"Very well, lord. If that is the king's wish, we will obey."

But they went forth with darkened faces and averted eyes.

I stood still, not daring yet to move, and couldn't believe my luck. Suddenly I felt someone grab my arm. I turned around and found myself facing Aragorn.

"My lord", I began, wanting to thank him, but he did not let me finish.

"Go home", he said, "bid your parents farewell and then make for the forest in which I was training you. You have told no one where that was, have you?"

"No, my lord", I answered. "But I do not understand. I thought there is to be no more sacrifice. Do I have to leave the city now?"

"Yes, you must leave the White City and also the realm of Gondor", answered Aragorn. "It is sad for a king to say that he does not trust his own people, and yet I will say so: I think they will still attempt the sacrifice, in secret and you are not safe here. Now go home and after an hour come to the forest. I will be waiting for you there. Make sure no one sees you."

I went home, telling myself that this was my last chance of escape and I had to try my best not to do something wrong again. I said farewell to my parents and, taking my dog with me, I went to the forest, being careful not to make myself seen by anyone. Thanks to my teacher I was good at covering my tracks. By the forest, Aragorn was waiting for me with a horse.

"It was wise to bring your dog with you", he said. "He is loyal and he will not abandon you when you need him. This horse is for you. He will bear you swiftly wherever you choose to go. You should be far away from Minas Tirith by evening when you disappearance will be noticed."

"It is a shame that I have to leave Gondor never to return", I told Aragorn. "And I'm sorry, my lord, that I have betrayed your trust."

"Maybe it is not only your fault", Aragorn said. "Maybe I should have taught you one more thing, a thing that I have been trying hard to forget: that evil and treachery still exist in this world, that darkness cannot wholly be defeated. What was about to happen today is just the beginning of a new terror. The time between sacrifices will get shorter, and soon no one will have the authority to stop it. Dark ideas will enter the minds of men and the lust for power will grow strong. Greed will arise again, greed that has ever brought upon men disaster and ruin. And I fear that one day, these dark ideas and this greed will destroy all that I have built. Minas Tirith will not last for eternity and nor will the light and the peace that dwell still within its walls. You do not have much time, you must go now. Get as far away from Gondor as possible. Cross the Gap of Rohan and go North and then West, until you reach a country called Bree. Men have ever been peaceful there and there I hope you will be safe. Go now! Farewell and may your road be clear!"

"Thank you for all that you have done for me, my lord", I said. "I shall never forget it. And tell Eldarion I bid him farewell. It grieves me that I could not do it myself."

And saying that, I rode away.

After a while, I stopped my horse, and turned around, to look for a last time upon my city. The sun was bathing her in a gentle light, her white walls were shining and the banner of the white tree was flowing peacefully in the wind. Sadness crept over me at the thought that I was not going to see that fair city again. Suddenly I had a vision: I saw fire emerging from the city, people fighting on the streets and the banner of the king taken and torn. It was true. Evil could not be wholly defeated and it is only waiting for a time to rise again. The Shadow will fall over Gondor and maybe over the whole of Middle Earth too. For me this is certain, though I have only one consolation: This will not happen in Aragorn's time, and probably not in Eldarion's either. But after that? How long could the kings of Gondor fight against the darkness that, from the beginning of the world had tried to bring ruin and death to all?


End file.
